John F. Kennedy

Kennedy authorized the CIA-backed invasion of Cuba by exiles at the Bay of Pigs, which failed disastrously. The event embarrassed the U.S., strengthened Castro's position, and pushed Cuba closer to the Soviet Union.

Kennedy signed an executive order establishing the Peace Corps, sending American volunteers abroad to assist with development. The program promoted U.S. soft power and cultural exchange, becoming a lasting legacy of his administration.

Kennedy confronted the Soviet Union over the installation of nuclear missiles in Cuba. He imposed a naval blockade and negotiated a peaceful resolution, securing the removal of missiles in exchange for a pledge not to invade Cuba and removal of U.S. missiles from Turkey.

Kennedy delivered a speech at Rice University, committing the U.S. to landing a man on the moon before the end of the decade. This galvanized the Apollo program and the Space Race against the Soviet Union.

Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald while riding in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas. His death shocked the world and led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act and other legislation under his successor, Lyndon B. Johnson.